The dawn broke over a city still burning in scattered patches, the smoke rising in thick, gray spirals that made the sky feel heavy and oppressive. From our vantage point atop the safe house, I could see the devastation stretching in every direction: shattered streets, overturned vehicles, and distant patrols moving with relentless precision. The council had not stopped; they had only escalated, and their reach seemed infinite. Damian stood at the edge of the roof, muscles taut, eyes scanning every alley and street below. His presence was both terrifying and comforting, a constant reminder that, no matter how bleak things seemed, he would not let anything happen to me or the twins. I pressed my hands to my stomach, feeling the twins shift sharply, their movements insistent, almost as if th
